Tramrail tractor



Jan. 8, 1935. J. GUTHRIE 1,987,104

TRAMRAIL TRACTOR Filed April 30. 1952 INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY.

Patented Jan. 8, 1935- v UNITED STATES PATENT' `[OFFICE y. Y 1,937,104c U l 'rant/RAIL 'rnAcTon James Guthrie, Elyria, Ohio l i Application April 30, 1932, Serial No. 608,420

12 Claims.

- The present invention relates to self-propelled vehicles for conveying systems, and moreparticularly for overhead or monorail conveying systems. In my copending application Serial No. 598,008, led` March 10, 1932 for Monorail systems, I have described and set forth the construction' of one type Aof endless tractor adapted for' use with a vmonorail conveyor. The present invention-"embodies certain novel improvements over the subject matter of said application, the most important of which is the provision of endless tracks `positionedso as to engage with the bottomof the flange of the monorail. The advantagesrv of such positioning of the tracks are to 'be found in the fact that rst, there is presented asmooth,uniformftraction surface free from rivet and bolt heads which are most likely to damage or jamb the tracksysecond, inasmuch as the underside of the-rail is usually the cleanest vand free from dirt and grease, there results an increased eiliciency of frictional engaging suriace;and, third, a substantially uniform tractional 4engagement is insured at all times when the tractor is traversing both straight and curved sections ofthe rail. Another advantage of the present novel construction resides in the fact that itis possible to use a conveyor rail having a smaller. width web. Objects and advantages additional to those enumerated shall become apparent as the following description proceeds. To the accomplishment of'thevforegoing and related ends, said invention, then, consists of the means hereinafter; fully described and particularly pointed outin the claims.

The annexed drawing Vand the following description set forth in detail certain mechanism embodyingthe invention, such disclosed means constituting, however, but one of variousme chanical forms in which the principle of theinvention may be used. l

v nrsaid annexed drawing: l

Fig l is a side elevational view of a tram raill tractor constructed according to vthe principles4 of my invention; and Fig. 2 is an end view of Fig. 1, partly in section, and taken substantially upon the line 2-'2 thereof.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing, I have shown an overhead conveying rail which may be in the form of an r-beam having the web l and flanges 2 and 3. This overhead rail may also be in the form of an inverted T-beam having a smaller width web section. The tractor which is adapted to traverse the monorail is composed of a frame indicated generally by the numeral 4. The frame carries a (Cl. 105-3l number' of wheels 5, which, in the present case,

l are four in number and are adapted torride upon the upper side of the lower iiange 2. Likewise, ar plurality ofv rollers 6 are also carried by the frame at points adjacent the-wheels and provide means for lateral bearing points along the edges of the flange 2. A pair of endless Vchains 7 are mounted longitudinally of the frame 4 and carry a plurality of rectangular rubber feet or pads 8 which are adapted ,to have frictional engagement with the under side of the llange 2. These chains are carried at each end bysuitable sprocket wheels, which, in thev present case, have not been illustrated in order to avoid confusion. These sprockets, in turn, are adaptedto rotate` upon suitable shaftsjournaled in the frame 4, such as the shafts 9 shown in Fig. 2.

The intermediate run of the top sideof the endless chain 7 is supported upon a plurality of small' transverse shafts 10 and pulleys 11 which,`in turn, are movably supported by the linkA arms l2. The other end of the link larms 12 are secured to the xed shafts 13,. A length of spring wires 1li attached at one vend to the shafts is coiled about the iixed shafts 13 and has its other end secured to the common connecting bar 15. The connecting bar 15 is, in turn, connected by means of the pivot pin 16 to the control arm 17 which extends through one end of 'the` frame 4. v which are adapted to register jwith a suitable projection in the frame provide means for adjustably maintainingthe position .ofthe control bar 17. It willthusA be seen that by virtue of regulating the position of the control bar 17 and correspondingly of the connecting bar 15, it will bein position to accordingly regulate the amountv of resilient `force .tending to urge the intermediate run of the vtracks 7 into engagey, ment with the under side of the flange 2'.-

The driving meansfor the tractor consists of an electric motor 20v which may derive its cur-- rent from a suitabletrolley system (not shown). The vmotor 20is directlyl connected to the .motorshaft 21and small main pinion 22.I The pinionv 22, in turn, meshes with the large ring gear 23 mounted upon the differential housing 24. A. pair of small pinion gears 25 carriedby stub shafts in the differential housing in turn mesh with the differential ring gears 26-26. One of the ring gears 26 is splined to the shaft27, and

A plurality of serrations 18 the other to theA shaft 28. The shafts 27 and 28 f are suitably journaled in roller bearings mounted in the housing of the tractor. The shaft 27 carries the gear 29 which is connected to the large endless chain drive gear 32 by means of the gear train composed of the gears 30 and 31. Similarly, the shaft 28 which carriesthegear 33 is connected through the gear train composed of the gears 34 and 35 to the other large endless chain drive gear 36. The drive'gears 32 and 36y are secured to the sprockets which carry the endless chains 7 7, but are independently movable n respect to each other. It will thus be 'seen that `the last vdescribed mechanism provides a differential drive foreach of thef endless .tracn tor chains, so that undue wear will not occur when the tractor is traveling over a curved sec- Y tion of rail.

Other modes of applying the principle Aof my` invention may be employed insteadaof the one explained, change being made Las regards the mechanism herein disclosed, provided the means stated by any of the following claims or thel equivalent of such stated means be employed.

thereforerpar-ticularly point out and distinctlyfclaim 1v aszmy: invention: v d

LAn tractor for monorails and theflike, come prising the. combination of a frame, means for supporting isaid .frame on said monorail, a driving motorcarried by said frame,` and an endlesstrack connected to said motor and adapted to` engage with ther flange portion of said monorail,

the plane of the path of vtravel of said track 'being normal to the surface of said flanga A tractor for lmonorails and the like, comprising thecombination of a frame, means for `supporting said frame on said monorail, a driv- Y ing motor carried by said frame, and an endless `track connected to said motor and adapted toA engage with the under side of the flange portion of said mon0rail.- v

3. A ltractor formon'orails and the like, comprising the combination of `a frame,V means for supporting said frame on saidmonorail, 'a drv-` ing motor carried by said frame,-an endless track connected `to said motor,. and a plurality of resilient pads secured to said track and extendingv outwardly therefrom, said pads being adapted to-make frictional engagement with the flange portion-of said monorail, the planeof the -path of travel of said track being normal to the surface of said iiange.

4. A tractor for monorails and the like, comprising vthe combination of a frame, means for supporting said frame on said monorail,v a driv-' ing motor carried by said frame, a pair of end-v lessr tracks adapted to'engage with the flange portion of said monorail, the plane of the path of travel of said track being normal to the surface lof said flange and a differential driving connection between said tracks and said motor.

6. A tractor for nicnorails and the like, comprising the combination 'of a frame, means for Y supporting said frame on said monorail, a driving motor carried by said frame, a pair of endless tracks adapted to engage with the underside vof the ange portion of said monorail and a differential driving connection between said tracks and said motor; z V p '7. A tractor for monorailsandA the like,'com prising the combination of a frame, means for supporting said frameon said monorail, `a driving. motor` carried by said frame, a pair of endless tracks adapted to engage withv the flange portionof said monorail, a differential driving connection between said tracks and said motor, and resilient means for supporting and urging theintermediate run of `said tracks against said ange.

8. A tractor for monorails` and thev 1ike,`com prising the combination of a frame,'means for supporting said frame on said monorail, a driv" ing motor carried by said frame, a pair of endless tracks adapted to engage with the flange portion of said monorail,. a differential drivingy connection between said tracks and. said mot-or, resilienty means for supporting and yurging fthe...

intermediate run of said tracks against said ange, and means for variably adjusting thedegree of resiliency of said track-supporting`means.

9. In a tractor for mcnorails and the like', tractionalv engagement means for driving said tractor.

comprising an endless track adapted to engage With the flange of said monorail and to travel in.. a plane normal to the surface of .'said-angeg andi.

supporting means for said tractormounted lin opposed relationship to said track.

10. In a tractor for monorails and the like,'the combination of tractional engagement means for driving said tractorvcomprising an endless-track f adapted to engage the under sideof the'flange of said monorail and wheels for supporting saidtractorand contacting with the upper side of said iiange. Y

l1. A tractor for monorails and thelike, com' prising the combination of a vframe,` means for supporting said frame on said monorail, a dri'v ing motor carried by said frame, an endless track connected tol said motor and adapted to engage with the ilangeportion ofsaid monorail, and resilient means urging the intermediate run 'of said track against said flange.

12. A tractor for monorails and the like; comprising the combination of` a frame, means for supporting said frame on said monorail, a driving motor carried by said frame, an endless track Y connected to said motor andv adaptedV to engage' with the flange portion of said monorail,k the plane of the path of travel of said track being normal to the surface of said ange, and-resilient means urging the intermediate run of said track against said flange.

JAMES 

